Casting Shadows
by justacaskettkiss
Summary: The Voice fanfic - Grace is a budding singer from the south, talks with a twang, walks with her kicks but she sees something in Adam Levine and picks him as her coach. They spend a lot of time together over the course of the battle rounds and then things get complicated between them.
1. Blind Auditions

Adam and Grace Fanfic

It was the day of The Voice season 4 auditions, Grace was singing The Writer by Ellie Goulding. It was her first big audition for anything, usually her singing was limited to her bedroom.

She was getting ready in her room, she decided on her favourite pair of black skinny jeans and a flowing pink top. She chose her favourite heart necklace and her old pair of worn and faded cowboy boots, and grabbed her bag and left.

She was driving on the way to the studios and as she turned on the radio, Payphone by Maroon 5 came on. She loved this song and it slowly turned into a realisation that she was auditioning in front of this amazing singer today. As well as Blake Shelton who she loved just as much! She wasn't a country singer, but a massive country fan and being from Augusta, Georgia she grew up listening to the likes of Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton.

She was 26 years old, and today was the first time in her life she ever felt she was ready to put herself first and go after her dreams. She'd been taking the responsibility of her family for years, her dad was a drunk and her mum was depressed. Her sister was just pure lazy so it all fell on her, since she was 12 she'd been working jobs just to bring in enough money to get by. Hopefully things would change and she could get away from all this pain because even now, she felt responsible for her parents actions because they still couldn't put enough money together for a slice of pizza.

She pulled into the studio car park and found the entrance she had to go in. She met with producers and sorted out the time she had to go on. She then had an interview with Carson, she explained a bit of her backstory, her family, where she was from, what job she had now, she was an accountant, she was very good at her job, but there was an aching pain for something more, a singing career. It was what she'd wanted since she was 8 years old.

She left the interview room and walked to the stage door. She waited for the camera signal that she could go and then her legs somehow took her to the stage, she was all dazed and dreamy and couldn't believe this was happening. The music started and she sang the opening line.

_You wait for a silence, I wait for a word, lie next to your frame, girl unobserved._

Blake and Adam both turned around immediately. She almost froze there and then but she knew she had to carry on.

_You changed your position, you are changing me, casting these shadows where they shouldn't be._

Cee-Lo and Christina turned around then, the smile on her face was beaming so wide she could feel her face aching. She toned it down so she didn't look crazy and finished the song.

Once she had finished, Blake went first.

"Hey girl, what's your name?"

"I'm Grace Stevens, it's an honour to meet y'all,"

"Y'all huh? Loving that country twang you got there!"

"Haha yes I'm from Augusta Georgia"

"Well I think we'd work well together, I think your voice is amazing and I'd love to hear you do some country, it seems like it would come naturally to you!"

"Thanks so much Blake, that means a lot, you and Miranda are two of my favourite singers and I love country music!"

Christina went next, she was all loud and sassy and said some really nice things, but she wasn't paying her full 100% attention because everything Blake had just said was just spinning around in her mind

Cee - Lo's first words were -

"Dayum girl, you sexy!"  
She blushed and giggled, Adam was smiling at her and her heart melted, that man was beautiful.

Adam was up next

"Wow Grace, you have such a beautiful powerful voice, it really took me by surprise. I know you're a southern girl and you love Blake, but I'd be honoured to have you on my team!"

"Oh wow thank you so much Adam! And true I love Blake, but I love your music too, I love all of your guys music! Okay, my choice is…"

* * *

**A/N - Please review and give me feedback! This is the first fanfic I've posted and I'm loving the idea of Adam and a contestant relationship. More chapters to come! **


	2. Two Can Play That Game

**Chapter 2. **

**A/N Yes I am aware that Cee-Lo & Christina have left for season 4, but I don't know too much about the new coaches personalities so I thought it would be easier this way. Season 4 airs tonight, and I know that Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum will be Adam's guest mentor during the battle rounds, that will be kept the same for the future chapters. Anything else regarding Season 4 is AU. **

**Please review, I'd love to hear feedback and if you're liking this story. I'll continue to post chapters if and when I find the time. It shouldn't be longer than a week though. **

* * *

"Adam!"

He leaped out of his chair and ran over to her with open arms. They hugged longer than he would normally hug a contestant, but he had a connection with her he could feel it.

When they finally stopped hugging, he looked into her pale blue eyes and that connection was there again, she moved along and he said goodbye but he still had that feeling in his stomach for a while after she'd gone.

The day went on and he picked several acts for his team, a rocker from New York, a pretty hippie chick from San Francisco and a pop singer from Illinois, but no one compared to that wonderful, beautiful southern girl from Augusta, his mind couldn't get past Grace and her outstanding voice, mesmerising smile and glowing eyes. There was something there, he was trying to fight it but he could already tell feelings developing.

* * *

It had been a few weeks since her audition, all her family had called and pretended to be proud but Grace knew all they wanted was money, she said she'd transfer over a bit to their bank account just so they'd stop bugging her. All she could think about was Adam and how he'd gazed into her eyes, how his hand rested on her back way longer than he should of. She wandered over to her iPod dock and put on her favourite Maroon 5 song, Out Of Goodbyes with Lady Antebellum. She loved that they had done a song with a country band! She had her music so loud she barely heard her phone ring, but when she did she staggered around her room trying to turn her music off in time.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Adam, I was wondering if you wanted to do some rehearsals for the battle rounds?"

"Oh hey Adam, yeah sure I'd love to!" Her stomach turned at the thought of being alone with him, at least she hoped he meant alone. "When was you thinking?"

"Later today, say like 3pm?"

"Sounds good…" She was about to ask where when he interrupted her, he could probably sense that she was wondering where they were meeting.

"I can pick you up, if you'd like? The studio is being used today for filming with Cee-Lo's team, but I have a rehearsal space me and the maroon 5 guys use, for song writing and demo recording and stuff."

Her stomach did a 180 turn at the thought of him picking her up and them being alone in a car together. Oh god, she was being so immature about this, he would no way be interested in her, she thought.

"Sure, I'll text you my address, see you then!"

"Great, bye."

"Bye, Adam."

* * *

He spent hours picking what to wear, I mean she was all perfect and he wanted to impress her, without looking like he was trying to impress her. He couldn't be feeling this way about a contestant, it wasn't right. He settled on a red and blue plaid shirt, thinking she'd like this if she went for the country kind of guy, and some black skinny jeans.

He grabbed his keys and drove to her street, he parked at the corner for 15 minutes, he was early and he didn't want to seem too eager. He let the time pass by turning on the radio, Adele was on. He loved Adele, it was Turning Tables. This was by far his favourite Adele song, so underrated out of all her songs.

He drove up to her house and parked, he wasn't sure if he should beep, or go knock the door. He thought beeping might sound rude, it was only their first time meeting out of the studios, it's not like they'd known each other years. He got out and knocked her door, it took 3 times before she finally came. She answered the door in a peach skirt and a denim shirt that you could see her bra because she had buttoned it so low. Was she trying to kill him?

"Hey Adam, it's good to see you" She pulled him in for a hug, she thought this might be awkward at first, she'd gone through ways to greet him in her head hours before he showed up and settled on hugging, she hoped he didn't think she was being to full on.

Clearly not, he hugged her back and held her for a long time, but it wasn't weird. It felt right.

"Hey! You look gorgeous!"

She blushed loads, then thanked him. He looked really hot, but she didn't know how to bring it up, it was weird complimenting guys on how they looked she always though. He did look like he made an effort though, a huge effort. This made her grin uncontrollably.

"Let me just grab my shoes and purse" She ran back inside and grabbed her purse and keys and found her pair of blue cowboy boots.

When she was about to get into the car, he held the door open for her. Wow, he's a gentleman she thought to herself. They were driving and he turned on the radio, Carrie Underwood Blown Away was on.

"I love this song!

"Me too, I might be a rocker but I don't mind a bit of country music myself!"

She grinned at this, she did already know that from interviews she'd seen with Maroon 5, but she pretended to be surprised by this, not to look like a crazy fan girl or anything.

"Really? I mean I figured you liked Lady Antebellum because you did a song together"

"Yeah, they're great, Hillary has an amazing voice that fitted so well with that track and the guys did some great harmonies, it's my favourite off our Hands All Over album for sure"

"Mine too" She grinned again, still not wanting to sound like a crazed fan.

"We're here" Adam said excitedly, as he pulled into some warehouse looking place. "it looks a bit sketchy I know, but it looks really cool inside I promise."

He opened her car door for her again, he was staring into her eyes when she was getting out. She noticed this and stared back, it wasn't awkward at all. That connection was there and they could both feel it. He leaned in and stroked a strand of hair out of her eye, he loved how she was wearing it today, loosely up and kind of scruffy but in a cute way. He wanted to kiss her, so much. He continued to lean in, their lips almost touching. She pulled away. He was disappointed, but he understood.

"We should probably head inside" She was so happy about what almost happened and shocked that she stopped it, she wanted to kiss him. Badly.

"Yeah… Sorry Um I"

"Hey, it's fine, I understand, we have a connection, I wasn't sure if you felt it too, but now I know."

"Well then why did you stop me from kissing you?"

She wasn't really sure, so she thought she'd be witty and play hard to get, maybe it would turn him on and make him want her more.

"Good things come to those who wait Mr Levine" She winked at him, got extremely close to him and as she brushed her lips against his faintly, she grabbed his keys from him and giggled, she ran off in the direction of the door and left him there dazed.

Wow, he was falling for her big time, fast and hard and he couldn't stop it. He didn't want to stop it. He chased after her and once he caught up with her he tickled her from behind.

Two could play that game.


End file.
